Canada has announced a significant change in its visa policy, stating that it will no longer automatically issue 10-year multiple-entry visas to tourists.
This update comes from new guidelines released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which indicate a shift from the previous practice of routinely granting long-term visas to eligible visitors.
Under the revised rules, immigration officers now have the discretion to grant visas with shorter durations based on individual assessments.
Instead of defaulting to an extended validity period, each application will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, allowing officers to decide whether to issue single-entry or multiple-entry visas and determine their duration.
The IRCC clarified that "multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document," emphasizing that officers may exercise their judgment in these decisions.
This policy adjustment is part of a broader strategy aimed at managing temporary immigration levels while addressing ongoing challenges such as housing shortages and rising living costs in Canada.
The government’s efforts reflect a response to public concerns regarding the impact of immigration on the nation’s infrastructure and economy.
Previously, Canada offered two types of tourist visas: multiple-entry and single-entry. The multiple-entry visa allowed visitors to enter Canada multiple times over a decade or until one month before their passport expired. However, with the new guidelines, maximum-validity multiple-entry visas will no longer be standard practice.
The application fee for a Canadian visitor visa remains unchanged at CAD 100 per person, with no cost difference between single-entry and multiple-entry options. However, frequent travellers may face increased application costs due to the need for more frequent applications resulting from shorter-term visas.
